Durban - The search for a six-year-old girl who was washed away in flash floods in Tongaat, north of Durban, on Thursday, is set to continue.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson, Paul Herbst, said they were called to the scene on Thursday afternoon.
When they arrived at the scene, they were pointed to where the girl was last seen.
"IPSS Medical Rescue together with members from the uMhlali SAPS K9 unit and SAPS dive units searched through the area. Unfortunately there was no sign of the little girl. The search will continue but it is dependent on light and weather," Herbst said.
By Thursday night, the search was called off and Herbst said it would continue on Friday.
In a separate incident on Thursday, Thembinkosi Ndimande, 41, was crushed to death when the house above his home collapsed and debris tumbled on to his property. The walls of his house then caved in. Both homes were built on a slope.
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According to Life 24/7 Response spokesperson Leon Fourie, three other people were treated for minor injuries.
Ward councillor Bhekokwakhe Phewa said he was traumatised by what he saw when he arrived at the scene.
Phewa said seven people had been living in the top house and six in Ndimande’s home.
He said the families had been taken to a nearby transit camp.
“The issue here is that a water management system needs to be put in place. These houses are built on a slope, and when it rains the water runs down the bank,” he said.
A few roads away in Amatikwe, an 11-year-old girl was killed when her home partially collapsed.
According to Busisiwe Makhaya, her granddaughter, Thandeka Nyawo, had been sleeping in a room when the walls collapsed.
Makhaya became emotional as she recalled how the family rushed to pull children from the room.
She said others who had been hurt were taken to the local clinic. She said Thandeka had been looking forward to starting Grade 5 next year.
She was described as a quiet but active girl who loved to cook. Another death occurred in Ngungumane, also after a home collapsed.
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EThekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela, who expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, said mayor Mxolisi Kaunda was expected to visit the families today.
“Our disaster management teams will remain on standby to help families who require relief,” he said.
Acting Cogta MEC Peggy Nkonyeni also sent condolences to the families.
“Teams have been evacuating residents in uMhlathuze due to a fast-flowing uMzingwenya River. There was also localised flooding at Umvoti, KwaDukuza and Pongola. In all of these areas, residents are advised to avoid crossing low-lying bridges and areas prone to flooding,” she said.
Nkonyeni said Cogta teams would remain on standby and work with affected communities.
“The department has also dispatched disaster management teams to all reported incidents.”
Weather forecaster Abednego Gumede said they were expecting partly cloudy weather for today, with a 30% chance of rain.
“For Saturday and Sunday, we are forecasting partly cloudy starts to both days with a 30% chance of rain for later in the day,” he said.